Findagrave Memorial #: 0
(There may be a Findagrave Memorial, but we have not recorded it)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Alias?: None notedPension?: UnknownPortrait?: GAR Post #27, 1907, VHS off-site, MHI off-siteCollege?: Not FoundVeterans Home?: Not Found
(State digraphs will show that this soldier spent some time in a state or national soldier's home)

Alice married her sister's widowed husband a month before her 21st birthday, and eight months after the death of her sister, Emma. Hugh Henry was a lawyer by profession. He was educated at Chester Academy, Westminster Academy, and Deerfield, Massachusetts Academy. He studied law with Luther Adams of North Chester, and with George French and Judge Converse in Woodstock. He was admitted to the Bar during the May term, 1862. In September of that year, he enlisted as a private in Company "K", 16th Regiment, Vt. Vols. He was promoted to quarter-master sergeant and then to lieutenant of Co. "I", and was discharged on 10 Aug., 1863, at the expiration of his term of service. He resumed the study of law at Woodstock in Converse and French's office, expecting that another regiment, the 18th Vt., would be raised, in which event he had the promise of Gov. Holbrook of a major's commission. This regiment was never raised. however, and after a week or two in Converse and French's office, he went for a day or two to assist his uncle, Gilman Henry, in the United States provost marshal's office and at his solicitation, kept extending the time until he had remained there over a year. In 1865 he came to Chester and opened his own law office.

NEWS OF THE HUGH HENRY FAMILY -- Chester, 1 Dec., 1876: "Mr. Hugh Henry of Chester, made his presents felt in the Legislature. The champion of a bill which the masses of the people want, he has been fought by local interests and men of money. Hugh has made a good fight and won some ground. Mr. Henry has displayed a fearlessness in his career as a legislator which cannot but place him in the first rank of rising young man in the State of Vermont."

Hugh Henry was very active in his community and a well respected man. He would serve as a representative for the town of Chester in the Vermont legislature in 1870, 1872, 1874, 1876, and 1884, and as County Senator in 1880. He was appointed probate judge for the district of Windsor in December, 1884, and held that office by successive election until June, 1898, when he resigned to accept the position of Commissioner of Pensions. This office he held from 18 July, 1898 to 1 July, 1906. He moved his family to Concord, NH during this time in order to be close to his place of business. He was also a director of the national bank of Bellows Falls, beginning in January, 1875, and served as president of that bank from 12 Nov., 1908 until his resignation of 13 March, 1913. He had also been trustee of the Bellows Falls Savings Institution beginning January, 1887; director of the Vermont Valley Rail Road beginning in 1883, and served as vice president in 1909. He was a trustee of the Whiting Library, Chester since it was incorporated in 1888, clerk of the Chester Water and Light Company, president of the board of trustees of Chester Academy. He served as Dept. Commander of the Dept. of Vt. GAR in 1892; president of the Vermont Officers' Reunion Society in 1908, and of the American Loyal Legion, Vermont Commandery in 1910. Hugh occupied himself principally with the insurance business and represented three companies continuously for over 50 years --the Springfield F. & M., the Phoenix, and the Home Insurance company.

-- Chester 2 April, 1908: "Mrs. Hugh Henry has been suffering from an abscess on her face. Her daughter, Emma Henry of Concord, NH, has been at home for the last two weeks caring for her."

-- 25 Feb., 1909: "Hugh H. Henry has accepted a position in a law office in Boston and went last week to begin his duties there."

-- 24 March, 1910: The members of the Review Club with their families gave Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Henry a very pleasant surprise last Monday evening at their home, it being the occasion of Mr. Henry's 73d birthday. Between 50 and 60 were present and a delightful evening was spent by all. Refreshments were carried and served by Mrs. Ella Pollard, Mrs. James Pollard, Mr. & Mrs. L. A. Carpenter, Misses Emma and Winfred Henry, Guy Earle and Mrs. Frank Forbes gave several piano duets during the evening. Mr. Henry was presented with one of the famous Nutting pictures; the presentation speech was made by Mrs. Hattie Richardson, president of the club and Mr. Henry responded in his usual pleasing manner. Unlike many so called 'surprise' parties, this was a genuine one, and will be long remembered by the Henry's as it was manifestation of the esteem in which both are held by their many friends."

-- 17 July, 1913: "Hugh Henry was re-elected president of the Soldier's Home in Bennington last week. Judge Henry has occupied this position for a number of years and given much time and attention to the duties."

-- 29 Aug., 1913: "Hugh Henry has purchased the insurance business formerly conducted by the late Loyal E. Sherwin, and has taken his son Hugh H. into partnership so that hereafter the firm name will be Henry & Henry, attorneys."

-- 3 Oct., 1913: "A large Pierce-Arrow touring car, which contained a party of men and women from California, passed through here Monday on their way to Bretton Woods. They visited with Hugh Henry for a while in relation to an auto insurance claim. They told him that they came all the way across country in their automobile and report very tough traveling, especially through the states of New Mexico and Nevada, and think the railroad will be good enough for them to return home by."

Judge Henry d. at his home in Chester 3 Feb., 1920.

From his obituary: "He led a very busy, honored and distinguished life, and he was universally esteemed. In Mr. Henry's death, Chester has lost her most conspicuous and surely one of her most honored citizens. So long and intimately had he been identified with the village in which he lived that to think of the one was to recall the other; and it is safe to affirm that to these outside the town he was better known than any other resident of Chester. Not only his long and efficient public service, but a certain distinction of manner that was wholly untouched by any trace of affection, made him a readily-observed and unforgettable person. That white-haired figure in the frock-coat will be sadly missed from our village streets. Mr. Henry might be described as a gentleman of the old school, which is only another way of saying that he stood for finer courtesies and gentler manners than are often to be found among the people of this brusquer generation. To be sure he could speak his mind, and very often did, to good purpose, but he was quite incapable of any rudeness. He had the innate integrity of all fine souls. He was a true friend, and his friendship once given, could be steadily relied on. There are many persons in Chester and elsewhere, who are indebted to Mr. Henry for kindness and favors so graciously conferred that they carried with them no uncomfortable sense of obligation. Chester was richer for his living in it. And now that he has gone, we feel sure that his memory long to be cherished, will help not a little to keep us true to the best ideals of what a gentleman should be. Mr. Henry was a life-long Republican in politics. But he was far more than that. He was American in every nerve and fiber of his being. No other nation than this one produces men of just his type and even here the type is perhaps a gradually disappearing one. The struggle of the Civil War had left its mark on him as it did on so many of his comrades, but on him perhaps more obviously than on most. Something of the Lincolnian tradition survived in him; but he never grew too old to be interested, and intensely interested, in present day problems and politics and he lived in the past only in the sense that he brought to the present a ripe judgment and chivalrous enthusiasm. "

News: --12 Nov., 1926: "Dr. Will Ordway, superintedentent of the sanitarium at Mount McGregory, NY, was a guest of Mrs. Alice Henry last week."

Henry Children (born Chester):

1. Emma Clare Henry, b. 6 May, 1875. The newspaper said of her birth: "This time it is a girl and she weighs eight pounds. She came forth into the light of day on the 4th instant, and her surname it is Henry. Her paternal ancestor wears his new laurels weekly, as becometh one of the wise legislators of our State. We congratulate 'Hugh' upon having presented the first 'May flower' of the season, and hope that this tiny blossom will prove to be a flower of perennial sweetness and a blessing in its day and generation." Emma m. Chester, 22 June, 1912, Albert Walter Harvey. "… after the wedding the couple left in their runabout for a trip to Squam Lake where they will spend two weeks. They will be at home in Chester to their many friends after that time." --Chester, 17 Feb., 1922: "Albert W. Harvey, candidate for the office of U. S. Marshal, was never more hopeful of his appointment to the office than when interviews by a Tribune reporter Tuesday at his store in Chester. He expected the nomination to be made very soon, perhaps this week, and was of the opinion that his candidacy has been greatly strengthened by recent developments. Mr. Harvey is a hardware dealer in Chester. He had traveled as salesman for the Fitchburg Hardware's Co. for 11 years throughout Vt. and NH where he made a host of friends. Seven years ago he settled in Chester, having purchased a retail hardware business on Main Street. He was born in Sutton, NH, 43 years ago, was educated in the Concord, NH public school, Hadley's private school and Tufts College. He is President of the Chester Board of Trade and a past master in Olive Branch, A. F. & A.M. He has been closely identified with state politics for many years, without ever holding office." On May 15, 1922, Mr. Harvey was appointed United States Marshal by Warren G. Harding, upon recommendation by the Vermont Congressional delegaction, with a salary beginning at $3,200 per year, which was very good in this time period. -- 7 July,1922: "A. W. Harvey has sold his hardware store to Samuel P. Bunting of Chester. Mr. Harvey took up his duties as United States Marshall last Saturday." Emma d. 15 Aug., 1946.

2. Hugh Henry III, b. 13 June, 1883. He m. at St. Luke's Episcopal church, Allston, Mass., 5 June, 1909, Clara Belle Offut. Clara was 'given away' by her brother, Edward Offut. She wore a traveling suit of Yale blue. Immediately after the wedding ceremony the couple left for Squam Lake. They made their home on 47 Ridgeway Street, Allston, Massachusetts for a brief period, but returned to Vermont. Hugh was graduated from Yale College in 1905, and served as messenger in the Sergeant-at-Arms office in the Vermont State House in 1896. [see his picture, page 26 of "Vermont Its Government]…. --Ludlow, 12 Jan., 1911: "Hugh Henry Jr. of Chester, the newly elected Commissioner of Weights and Measure, resigns this week as executive clerk to devote all his time to the duties of the new office. Mr. Henry will be succeeded as executive clerk by H. J. Conant, a law student of this city. As soon as relieved of his present duties, Mr. Henry will visit New York and other states where a weights and measures law is in force to familiarize himself with its working." -- 1 Sept., 1913: "Hugh H. Henry, commissioner of weights and measures, has hired the vacant store on Main Street of Frank H. Stearns and will move his office from the present location near the Henry farm into the new location at once which will enable him to assist his father, Judge Henry, in his law practice and insurance business in both of which he now has an interest."

Obituary

HUGH HENRY DIES
Represented Chester in Legislature – Held Many Public Offices

Chester, Feb. 4. – Hugh Henry died about 1:30 p.m. yesterday at his home. He was born in Chester, March 21, 1838, son of Hugh H. and Sarah H. Henry. He represented Chester in the Vermont Legislature in 1870 and later as county senator in 1880. He was appointed probate judge for the district of Windsor, December, 1884, held the office by successive election until June, 1898 when he resigned to accept the position of pension agent at Concord, N.H. He held the office of U.S. pension agent at Concord, N.H., from July 1, 1898, for many years.

He was a member of the board of trustees of the Vermont Soldiers' Home since its incorporation in 1884; president of the board of trustees since July, 1890, and chairman in charge of the disbursement of State appropriations in aid of veterans and their widows since 1910.

He was department commander, Department of Vermont, G.A.R., in 1892 president Vermont Officers' Reunion society in 1908; and of the American Loyal Legion, Vermont Commandery in 1910.
Hugh Henry married Emma J. Ordway, January 9, 1872. She died in 1872. May 1, 1873 he married Alice Ordway, who survives him with his two children, Emma C. Harvey, born 1875, and Hugh H. Henry, born 1883.

Mr. Henry might be described as a gentleman of the old school, which is only another way of saying that he stood for finer courtesies and gentler manners than are often to be found among the people of this brusquer generation. To be sure he could speak his mind, and very often did to good purpose, but he was quite incapable of any rudeness. He had the innate integrity of all fine souls. He was a true friend, and his friendship once given, could be steadily relied on.